DARK LADY
by luna-magic-2005
Summary: A thousand years ago, a human king betrayed the trust of a goddess. To earn back her trust, he needed to learn the lesson of self sacrifice or else he'd be doomed for all eternity to never be happy with the one woman he could never be without.
1. Chapter 1

Standard disclaimer applies.

DARK LADY

One

By: Luna

...

"_Don't leave me..." she whispered softly, a hand reaching out towards his retreating back. "Please... Don't leave me..."_

_..._

"My lady?"

Serenity woke with a start, her eyes flying open to stare in space for the few moments it took to get an awareness of where she was at. That's right, she thought with a small smile. I'm still here. That was just a dream. A wonderful, wonderful memory of a dream.

Sitting up she allowed her maid to slip her silk robe over her shoulders, covering her naked body. Another maid pulled the long length of her hair from underneath her robe.

Walking over to her vanity, she sat and let her maids brush out her long hair, its silver color and silken texture shimmering in the sunlight streaming through the slits in the curtains.

As her maids sighed and cooed over her, powdering and perfuming her before helping her into her traditional gown of white satin and golden emboss. As they tied the golden sash under her breasts and crisscrossed the fabric until they came upon the curve of her waist, tying it in the back so that the excess ribbon trailed down to the hem of her dress. The circlet she wore covered the crescent moon mark on her forehead; the only mark that identified her true identity and it gleamed in the light.

She looked resplendent, as she should. The people of the palace would expect no less from the King's lady. Very few people in the palace knew who –or more precisely what —she was, and she needed to keep it that way.

As it stood, most thought her simply a woman, no more or less. Others thought she was just the king's arm candy; an ornamental piece he kept around the castle pretending to be his wife. Despite her status as queen, no one took her seriously. They followed her orders, kept the palace clean, but generally considered her foolish.

She couldn't blame them; for the year that she has been at the castle she rarely spoke to the lower ranks unless to command them and the other half she spent staring out the windows, for all intents and purposes daydreaming.

Leaving her chamber, she ordered all but one maid to stay behind, walking sedately down the long corridor towards the great hall. Ami, her first ladies maid, walked five paces behind her.

"It's such a lovely day outside, my lady. I'm glad the king will not have to travel in stormy weather." Ami said softly, a small smile on her face as she watched her lady's back. The sunlight made her hair glimmer unlike any she'd ever seen. Her slow, quiet walk spoke of elegance and royalty. She came to the castle like that. Ami had at first wondered where she had learned such innate grace, and wasn't surprised to learn the queen's most guarded secret.

Serenity looked out a bay window as she passed, startling Ami when she stopped abruptly, and her blue eyes wide as she stared out at the clear sky. A sob shook her suddenly, and she hiked up her skirts to her knees and took off running.

"My lady! You shouldn't run like that!" Ami cried desperately, delicately grabbing the fabric of her own dress in an attempt to run after her. She wondered what the queen saw; rarely did she ever show emotion.

The great doors opened right as Serenity hit the main hall, and with a cry of joy, Serenity threw herself into the arms of Endymion, her king.

His strong, muscular arms tightened around her, and she felt him breath into her neck. Tears fell unbidden down her cheeks, and she buried her face into his chest in an attempt to hide her tears. He stroked her hair once before gently pushing her away.

Endymion; her good, strong Endymion, ordered his men to rest and his horses taken care of. Then he looked down at Serenity and smiled, leading her back towards their chamber.

The maids scurried outside the minute they saw their king enter the chamber, leaving only the two of them. She watched silently as he removed his armor and weapons, placing each carefully in his weapons chest. Sweat glistened against his skin, making his rough shirt cling to his back.

His hair had grown longer, she thought with a small smile. Brushed past the collar of his shirt. He seemed a bit thinner, too. Why wasn't he looking at her?

Cold kissed the back of her neck, sliding down her spine to the cleft of her buttocks. She shivered, fighting the vision, remembering her promise to him. Despite her efforts, the vision slid in like cool velvet.

_"You're leaving again." Her voice was low, angry._

_He finished buckling his belt, his back turned partly away. "I don't belong to you."_

_Her ruby lips twisted into a smirk and she leaned back naked against the bedpost. Her black hair spread across the bed like a cape of black sin. "That's right. You belong to no one."_

_Serenity felt him being tempted; tempted back into the arms of that woman, but he turned away._

_"That's right," he said, starting to walk towards the doors. "I belong to no one."_

Woodenly, Serenity let her clasped arms fall to her sides. Endymion turned, the smile on his face fading as he read the look in her eyes. His face turned stony, and the arms he had held up to pull her in dropped. "I told you not to pry."

"I'm sorry," She whispered, turning to stare out the window. "I didn't mean to. It couldn't be helped."

"Serenity..." She could hear the genuine sorrow in his voice, and the confusion, but she refused to turn around. She had warned him. Hadn't she warned him? The sky seemed to match her darkened, sorrowful mood, and the once bright morning sky was suddenly shrouded in angry black clouds and streaks of nasty lightening. It was his fault.

Slowly, she turned to her hair, which she had left to run loose down her back, and curled around her as she slowly reached up to remove the gleaming circlet from her head. She held it out to him, knowing he would understand the gesture.

He had given her such an expensive piece as a wedding gift, and she had promised to wear it as long as she was promised to him. A goddess, after all, couldn't give the gift of forever to a mortal. When she came down from the heavens, she granted him a single promise in return for his faithful love.

The promise he made had been broken. The contract is no longer in effect. Fate could have it's way with earth, and she would only intervene if necessary.

He stared at the circlet, his face frozen this time in an expression of fear, and he took an unsteady step towards her. "Don't. Don't let me go. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Perhaps you should have thought of that before you dared lie to a goddess." Again, Serenity turned her back to him, unable to bear the look on his face, knowing that she'd give in if she did. "Obviously, you found places to go to when you're away on your crusades. You obviously know what to do with out me."

When she turned back, her face was resolute. "I won't be made a fool of. I've already gone against my mother's wishes and married you, despite my status. I fell in love with you despite you being nothing but a human king. And I was hurt by you, the moment you betrayed me."

She stepped towards him, her small, elegant hands framing his face, his handsome face. With a winsome smile, she leaned in and gently kissed his lips, cold with fear. "I want you to remember something Endymion, my king of kings. I want you to remember, when you're old and gray and lonely, that you once had a goddess on your arm that loved you enough to grant you anything your heart desired. But you're a coward, aren't you? You are King Endymion, ruler of the planet Earth, the last free planet in the galaxy. You're supposed to be strong. Invincible. And yet you the moment you thought you might love me to. Because you're Kind King Endymion. And you don't love anyone.

She traced his strong brow, gently brushing back his too long hair. "I warned you, Endymion. I told you not to betray me. I begged. Me, the Goddess of Sancticity. And I hope she was worth it, beloved. I really do. Because I'm going to make you regret it for the rest of your life."

That was part of their promise, after all. In return for his love, she had promised peace for as long as he stayed faithful to his country, but of all faithful to her. She would never forgive him for as long as he held doubt. He knew that, and that was why he feared.

One day, perhaps when his physical body from this time is dead and gone and the gods granted him new life, she might forgive him. But only at the price of self sacrifice. He must love – really love – or he would be doomed for all eternity.

She would make sure of it.

No one betrays the Goddess Selene.

She walked past him, avoiding looking at his ashen face, and closed their bedroom door behind her. Leaning against the strong oak, she closed her eyes on her tears as she heard something crash on the other side. Straightening her shoulders, she made herself walk slowly away from him. The only thing that remained of her was the sound of her calm, steady footsteps walking for last time down that long stone hall until that, too, faded away into nothing.

* * *

_Tokyo, Japan  
Summer 2007_

Usagi sighed into her chocolate milkshake, her eyes dreamy as she stared at the red checkered wall in front of her. She had seen the most beautiful man today. Dark midnight hair with a face women could weep over it was so pretty, and eyes that were the color of the sea. His skin had been a healthy tan, adding to his perfect, glossy image.

His build had been big and strong, with broad shoulders and a wide chest that tapered down to lean hips and long, muscular legs. He wore just a simple button up white tee and jeans that fit at every angle, and when he turned his head, a glint of an earring gleamed from the summer sun.

Too bad it was just Mamoru.

Her mood soured immediately when she heard his arrogant laugh smother the sound of the arcade doors jingling, and when he sat beside her with his companion, a wave of obnoxious perfume wafted over and soured her appetite for her once tasty shake.

"Chugging down the calories again, eh Meatball Head?" His voice was rich and smoky, like whiskey, and rolled warm and smooth across Usagi's skin until it reached her ears and made her tingle.

She scowled at him as she pushed her half-chugged shake away and stood, grabbing her book back and slinging it over a shoulder. Even though she was in college now and no longer wore her signature "Meatball" hairstyle, he refused to call her by her name, or even change that stupid nickname. Jerk.

"Still sleeping with the floozies, eh Mamoru?" Just because he refused to grow up, didn't mean she did. She would _not_ revert to name calling. She was mature now and had principles.

Even though his date squawked at being called a floozy, he kept those sexy eyes on her as a devilish grin spread. "Awe, you're not jealous, are you? You can be my next floozy if you want."

I'm mature. I'm mature. I'm mature. I'm mature.

"You know you secretly want me, Meatball Head."

Ah, screw mature.

"Eat dirt, Satan." So she was human, so sue her. Principles were never set in stone, anyways. She sniffed at the knowing gleam in his eye and walked away, her long legs walking smoothly and gracefully out the doors and down the side walk.

She wore a blue strapless dress to match the summer style, and soft leather heels to make her legs look good. Her golden hair was slicked back and held together by a blue beret at the base of her neck, the long, smooth tail of it curling down her slim back. Her bangs were still cut the same way as she had them since middle school, but she kept a few strands of hair cut shorter than the rest of her mane so it could curl naturally over her shoulders and give her face more shape.

Hanging out with her girlfriends helped her wardrobe change drastically over the years, until they finally broke her down enough to change her hair. It was almost the same length as it had been all those years ago, except instead of reaching the back of her knees it stopped just short of her pert bottom, and naturally floated around her figure in loose curls.

Her new style helped when her body changed too, the days of being a gawky teenager with no curves and no breasts ended, for she now had a pleasantly curved figure and nice rounded breasts. Not big, like Lita's had grown, but enough to satisfy her vanity.

Unfortunately her height only took her a couple of inches from what she used to be, so instead of being the short five four of her childhood, she now stood proudly at five six. She could even reach taller than that with a good set of heels.

In her mind, the change of hair and style marked a milestone in her life, forever changing her from crybaby Meatball Head to just plain Serena. Or not so plain, she thought dryly as she received catcalls from across the street. Turning her head, she gave the group of guys a flirtatious wink as she passed, smiling when they grew more energetic.

When it looked like one was actually gearing himself up to walk over to her, strong male hands clasped her shoulders and brought her back against a strong, male chest. His breath feathered over her ear and cheek as he whispered in her ear, and she fought down the urge to shiver. "You shouldn't encourage men like that, Meatball Head."

She had known it was Mamoru. Knew from his scent, from his touch, and she scowled deeply before swatting his hands away from her. "Knock it off. You can't keep chasing away every guy who makes eyes at me. We are not together, so don't think you're being appreciated when you do things like that."

His eyes were hooded when she turned to glare at him, but she didn't care. She wasn't naïve; Usagi knew that he wanted her, had wanted her the minute she became legal, but she refused to let him break her heart. For that was what he was, a heartbreaker. He continued to flit from woman to woman, never stopping to really remember their names, and she wouldn't be the next one. Even if she wanted him right back. Because her want went a little deeper than his did.

"You don't want a guy like that anyway. You need to be picked up with a little more finesse than being hollered at from across the street." The frown was in his voice and on his face when kept pace with her as she started walking again.

Since she knew that they were, after all these years still friends, she rolled her eyes and gave a little. She couldn't be on his case all the time. She reached over and gave his hand a squeeze, and bumped her shoulder with his. "Take your own advice, Satan, and next time find a woman you actually care to remember the next day."

"I remember you." He squeezed her hand right back and held on even when she tried to tug away.

"That's because we've seen each other everyday for the past five years, and if you forgot my name I'd kill you and have Lita serve you for lunch." She tried a light smile and managed to pull her hand away. "Besides, you can forget your floozies, but you can't forget your friends."

He grabbed her hand again, making her stop so she could face him. "You know we could be more than that. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way."

Sadly, she shook her head. "You're not. But when I commit to someone, Mamoru, I commit only to him. I refuse to be one of the many someone's who you refuse to be monogamous to."

"I'd try to be. For you." His voice was so quiet and serious that it left her wanting to believe in him.

And yet she couldn't. Trying was good enough for her. Usagi tried to find the words to refuse him when she was, thankfully, given a reminder as to why she kept her distance. Rei walked quickly up the walk, her long legs eating up concrete as she talked into her cell phone; her lips painted red and currently pulled back in a sneer.

"Really? Before or after you sleep with Rei again?" She didn't give him time to register her words or give a comeback, and Usagi pulled away from him completely and smiled as Rei stopped in front of them, still sneering into the phone.

"I don't care if you have to hog tie him and stuff him in the trunk of your car, you get his ass in that office and in front of my father before I decide to do something I _really_ don't want to do. I gave you that case because I thought you could handle it. Don't prove me wrong and make me regret my decision." Her phone snapped shut and she beamed a smile at them, those violet eyes losing the fire to be replaced by friendly warmth. "Hey guys. Sorry about that. Dad's in a bind and pushed his case load to me, and now my little people are breaking under the pressure."

Usagi gave a wry smile and raised a brow. "Yes, I can see how you're handling it."

She shrugged, smirking a little. "Hey, nothing like a little motivation." Those eyes slid to Mamoru and held a speculating look in them before she faced Usagi again. "He badgering you again? By now you'd think he'd give up."

Mamoru smoothly reached over and took Usagi's hand, bringing it to his lips. "Nothing can stop true love."

Rei rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. Like you actually know what love is. Anyways kiddies, I've got a meeting to go to. Maybe we can bump into each other again, say, tomorrow at the Oasis? Around noon? Great, I'll see you then."

Watching her walk away, her steps smooth with arrogance and confidence, Usagi felt her mood darken just a tad. How can she act so cool? With a frown, Usagi turned away from the sight of Rei walking away. "She didn't even wait to see if I'm busy. What if I have classes?"

"Do you?" Mamoru tugged her close so he could sling an arm around her shoulders as she walked. She didn't try to push him since she knew it would be useless, so she reveled in the fake closeness of the gesture and pretended for a while that it meant something.

She thought of Rei, and that helped keep her from leaning in and wrapping her arm around his waist. Instead, she kept her hands folded demurely in front of her, her eyes straight ahead. When they graduated high school Rei's grandfather had passed away, leaving an almost broken Rei to her father, who was always away on business and hadn't seen Rei in over seven years.

Instead of her going to college, her father took her into his business world, teaching her the cold precision of the skill. Usagi wasn't exactly sure what the firm actually did or the exact name for it, but she knew it involved sponsoring famous or wealthy people and making them sign millions away for some reason or another. Like that American film, Jerry McGuire… or whatever it was called.

It was during those years that Rei regressed a little, becoming less fiery and icier; her demeanor switching from having a temper to being an icy bitch when she got angry. It doesn't happen a lot anymore since her father trained her in the art of control, but it helped keep her "little people" in line.

Thankfully, she never unleashed that side onto her friends. The one time she did taught her a valuable lesson in friendship. Everyone; Ami, Lita, Mina, and Usagi refused all her calls and didn't even let her inside their apartments or house until she apologized. It had taken a month, but it happened. Now Rei made sure to make a distinction between telling her employees what to do and telling her friends what to do. All four of them refused to allow her to treat them the same way she treated the people working under her.

It was also around that time that Usagi confessed her love for Mamoru to them, and around that same time that Usagi also found Rei and Mamoru twined intimately together in Rei's apartment. And it had been on purpose. Rei knew Usagi had seen, had wanted her to see. And the next day acted like nothing had happened, like Rei hadn't purposefully tried to break Usagi's heart.

Usagi didn't know why Rei had done it. She had finally been able to speak of her love and attraction out loud and Rei had thrown it back in her face. Usagi couldn't forget. And no matter how forgiving her nature was, she wouldn't forgive either of them.

Mamoru, for his part, could be considered innocent since he probably had no idea Usagi had seen them together, and she knew it wasn't right to punish him for something Rei had done. Rei, after all, was an extremely seductive woman and Mamoru… well, Mamoru was a man, and that could explain everything. But Rei… Usagi just couldn't understand it. How could she? Sighing, she pulled away from him when they reached the apartment she shared with Mina and Ami.

"See you later." She called over her shoulder.

"You never answered my question." His voice was quiet, and she could almost hear a desperation in it that made her want to turn and face him, to wrap her arms around him and never let go.

But she didn't. "And I never will."

She didn't turn to see his reaction as she let herself into the apartment building and let the doors lock quietly behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

Standard disclaimer applies.

DARK LADY

Two

By: Luna

...

"…_I hope she was worth it, beloved. I really do. Because I'm going to make you regret it for the rest of your life…"_

_..._

_He let himself quietly into her room, surprised a little that it was filled with shadows. Only the fake, luminous light the moon created shown brilliantly in through her open balcony doors, but the light stopped only a few feet in. He saw her sitting in a high backed chair just inside her room, illuminated in the light. Her beautiful, elegant back stood straight and proud and her shoulders were pulled back. When in battle, she never allowed herself to relax._

_She knew why he was here._

_He wasn't going to go any closer yet. He stood in the shadows and simply watched her, his eyes eating up her beauty like a man starved. Her hair, a startling shade of silver, was set up in two twin buns atop her head, the long excess hair flowing over her shoulders and down her slim arms to puddle like a pool of liquid mercury at her feet. With her white gown spread about her small feet, it indeed looked like she sat in a pool of silver._

_Her skin was pale; of course it was. She couldn't stand the sunlight anymore than her people could. Her eyes, the breathtaking color of an Earth's clear blue sky, looked out her window, gazing at it much the same way he had earlier. She once claimed that she chose this room because the Earth always seemed to be in sight, and she felt she would always be able to see him. Love? Or had she simply known this day would come?_

"_Serenity," He wanted it to come out strong, but it was only whispered._

_She didn't turn to face him. She stayed staring up at his Earth as if it held all the answers. He heard her sigh. "I don't understand." Her voice was filled with sorrow. "How could you be corrupted too? How could you let yourself be lured in by that evil woman?"_

_How had she known? He opened his mouth to answer, but at that moment she stood and turned to him, standing tall. She always did make him breathless. Hers was a beauty that surpassed all others, and he knew it always would. The purity in her soul shown through her eyes, and the pale gold crescent moon mark on her forehead did nothing to detract from it. He found he could not speak when such purity was bestowed upon him._

_No, that wasn't right, he thought as confusion clouded his eyes. She wasn't pure at all..._

_He cleared his throat, watching as tears gathered in her eyes but did not fall. She would never show weakness to her people or her enemies. That was what she had told him one time. For her people, she would always seem strong. Yet for him, in front of him, why was she crying? She knew why he was here._

"_I shouldn't be blaming you. I should be blaming myself for being weak enough to come back to you, and for being foolish enough to think Earth can survive on it's own. That you could survive on your own. I left you for a reason, if you remember. You _did_ betray me__." Her knowing eyes watched as he swallowed hard, as if she knew the turmoil he was in. "I would have done anything for you, at one point in time."_

_Her rose lips pulled into a small, sad smile, and the symbol on her forehead began to glow. "But I'm too late, aren't I?"_

_Slowly, he drew out his sword, reminding himself to stay strong._

"_I'm sorry." Yet his words seemed to be inadequate. Why was he showing such weakness? She was his enemy. Beryl told him so, shown him truth of her deceitfulness. She planned on ruining him; planned on ruining his beautiful Earth. Yes, evil lived on earth. But didn't evil live everywhere? Why would she want to destroy it?_

_Jealousy. Her nasty people with their long lives wanted what they could never have; Earth. And their princess was their ring leader. The acid burn of her betrayal burned once again in his chest, making his heart ache even as resolution once again filled him. That's right. **She** was the one that betrayed **him**! Not the other way around. He wouldn't let her fool him again._

_Once, he had thought the only pure place left in this galaxy was this Moon and its ruling princess. Now he knew it wasn't so. Evil lived and breathed everywhere. You couldn't stop it from happening. The only thing anyone could do; the only thing he, as King could do, was give order and vanquish evil where it presented itself. You couldn't stop evil, but at least you might control it._

_Just as he was about to control it now._

_She shook her head as if reading his thoughts. And maybe she was? He didn't know anymore._

"_I love you." She said, her voice cracking just a little. How could she lie, even now? It was a bitter knife twisting in his chest, and he wanted to close his ears on the rest of her words. But he couldn't. She sounded calm, yet he could still hear sadness in her voice. "I will always love you. I would do almost anything for you. Anything. But in this moment, my love, I must apologize, for I cannot let you kill me."_

_The symbol on her forehead glowed ever bright, and with a choked yell, he ran at her with his blade drawn. He didn't stop as the light blinded him and engulfed the room, not even when he pointed his sword at her chest and could have sworn he pierced her heart. Did he do it? Would he finally be the one to kill the Goddess of Sancticity?_

_He would never know, for when he somehow awoke on Earth, tears were still streaming down his face._

* * *

Mamoru woke with a start, confused and disoriented for a moment. He sat up and pushed his hair away from his face and looked around at all the twisted sheets. He frowned, since he didn't feel as if he had a bad nights rest. What on earth had he dreamed about?

With a groan, he rolled over and considered whether or not he wanted to get up. It was a Saturday, after all, and he didn't have work to do. His phone started to ring, and he debated whether or not he should answer it. When the answering machine clicked on, he only buried his face in his pillow as Lita's voice came through.

"Mamoru? Wake up, you slob! You said you'd help me shop for Ken! If you don't answer I'm just going to keep on calling you, bugging you all the time, playing all my chick songs, telling Usagi you sing like a girl in the shower and I can hear you even though I'm one floor up above you because you always leave your balcony doors open and that's how I know you're still in bed, and then I'll—"

"God damn, woman, do you ever shut up?" he growled into the phone.

"Mamoru! It's about time you woke up. And don't worry about me telling Usagi about your singing; she already knows since she heard you one time she spent the night with me. I've never seen her laugh so hard!" She laughed to herself for a moment before musing aloud. "Half the time you don't even have to be there to make her laugh."

That comment warmed his heart, but he still groaned as he slowly stood up from his bed to pad his way out of the room to the kitchen. God, but he needed coffee. "Why did you call me again?"

"You jerk, you said you'd go shopping with me today. I know I'm marrying the guy, but when it comes to presents I'm completely clueless and need another guy to give me ideas. You're the only guy I know with taste, since Greg would most likely give my poor guy a science book, and Chad would probably write him a stupid song and expect him to do something with it. You already promised, so don't think you can get out of it."

He rolled his eyes. "How can you be so damned cheerful in the morning?"

"What, you aren't? And here I thought I caught you on a good day. Be ready in an hour, buster, or I'll tell Usagi you have a hidden picture of her wearing a skimpy bikini in your night stand."

He froze in the act of grabbing the coffee pot, horrified. "How the hell do you know about that?"

"You paid me one time to clean your place, remember? While putting some stuff away I opened the drawer and it was sitting right on top. Don't worry, I won't tell her if you go shopping with me, and you _know_ she'd totally freak."

"Why would she freak?" he muttered. "I have plenty of pictures of her."

"Yeah," she laughed, "But in those pictures she actually has clothes on and it's with everyone else in the picture too, from camping trips and the like. Plus, Mina's the one that took that picture while it was just us chicks swimming at a lake. We went skinny dipping but Usagi was too much of a prude, so she settled for those two scraps of cloth." Lita laughed again. "She would _so_ kill both you and Mina if she knew you had it."

"Hell, I'll pick out his present _and_ buy the damn thing, but please don't tell her I have it." He said, finally getting around to pouring him a hot cup of coffee.

He could almost see her rolling her eyes as she sighed. "Chill out, she'd kill me too just because I knew about it and didn't tell her. Anyways, I gotta finish making Ken's lunch so I'm going to let you go. Remember, an hour!"

"Yeah, yeah." He muttered as he hung up. How would it feel, he wondered, to have someone make him lunch before he left for work? To have someone _care_ enough to make him lunch? Wishful thinking, he thought wryly. The only woman he _wanted_ making him lunch didn't seem to want anything romantic to do with him.

He stood there and enjoyed two more cups of coffee before heading towards the shower, tuning up his rock radio as he passed. If Lita could hear him singing well, he was going to give her a show. He rocked out to various bands while he washed before getting out to shave and dress. Half hour later he was dressed, but right as he was running a brush through his wet hair, he heard the unmistakable sound of Lita beating the crap out of his door.

"It's open!" he yelled, running light gel through his hair before washing his hands. He frowned down at his shirt since it was sticking to his chest like a second skin. He knew he didn't dry off that well, but seriously! He turned when heard her footsteps and peeled off his wet shirt and threw it in a corner. "I'll be ready in just a second, Lita."

He heard a squeak and turned to see Usagi staring fixedly at his chest. He was so surprised he only stared at her for a couple of seconds before Lita came up behind her. Her eyebrows shot to her hairline and she smirked as she checked him out. "My, my, Mamo-kun, you've been working out lately, haven't you? Maybe I should tell my Ken doll that I'm running away with the best man."

Mamoru made a show of turning and moving slowly as he pulled out another shirt, making sure his muscles flexed every now and then, especially when he lifted his arms up to pull the shirt over his head. When he turned back around, Usagi was looking dazed and Lita was smothering a laugh behind her hand.

He grinned at both of them. "Every man's dream; being escorted about by two of the most beautiful women in Tokyo."

While Usagi busied herself with looking away from him, Lita rolled her eyes and made her way back out to the living room. "So let's go, you lucky dog. Ken should be getting off early today and I want to surprise him with a hot little number I got last night."

"Lita," Usagi drawled as they waited for Mamoru to lock up behind them. "There are some facts about your love life that I don't need to know."

Mamoru turned to her with a surprised expression. "Really? I thought girls talked about that kind of stuff."

"That kind of stuff?" Lita asked, cocking her head to the side.

"You know, like, 'Oh my God he was best I ever had', and saying, 'His BEEP was so BEEPING'. That kind of stuff."

Usagi laughed. "His BEEP? You could say the actual word you know, like his—"

"Usagi, seriously, I don't want to know about Ken's equipment." Mamoru said. "But don't you guys talk about that kind of stuff?"

Smiling, Lita shared a look with Usagi. "Maybe when we first start seeing a guy, since all the girls are naturally curious about them."

"Naturally." Mamoru murmured dryly.

"But after the first few weeks," Lita continued, ignoring his comment. "they're so sick of hearing about it that they don't care to know anymore."

Usagi smiled slyly. "Unless they share something new with each other that none of the other girls tried and they want to know how it was and if _they_ should try it."

"Like what?" Mamoru asked, wondering if he would even want to know.

Lita nudged Usagi before getting in Mamoru's 'vette. "Like you and that Seiya guy, remember? He wanted to use something new in their one-on-one sessions. Remember, Usa?"

Usagi blushed when she settled next to Mamoru. "If you remember, that's why I ended the relationship. If I'm having sex with someone, I only want it to be just us."

Mamoru glared at the road, hating the thought of Usagi with someone else, especially that ass hole Seiya. It wasn't reasonable since all of them stopped being virgins after (and some during) high school. But then he frowned at what she said. "What? You mean he wanted to add another chick?"

"Not another girl." Usagi muttered, her face as red as the stop light he stopped in front of.

He turned to face her. "What?"

Lita laughed suddenly, leaning forward from the back seat so she could wrap her arms around Usagi's shoulders. "Another man, she means."

Mamoru stared at her red face for only a moment he laughed in disbelief. "You're shitting me, right? Saint Seiya was gay?"

Usagi frowned out the window, a storm gathering in her eyes. "He said that he only dated me because he wanted to make sure he was really gay."

That sobered him up. "Usagi, that guy was an ass. If you dated me, I'd make sure you'd feel like a goddess everyday, and make sure you know how much I appreciate you being with me. Besides, I assure you, I am definitely _not_ gay. I like girls. And boobs. And long ass legs with painted red toenails."

That made Usagi smile as she curled her bare red toes in her white flip flops. She slid her blue eyes over to him and raised a thin brow. "Are you sure you don't have other preferences? You sure have _awfully_ good tastes when it comes to your clothes."

"And your apartment." Lita chimed in, and they both started with guilt for forgetting she was back there. "Usagi has a point, Mamo-kun. I'm not saying all of them, but nearly all gay guys are the most yummiest looking men ever."

"I'm not gay but… am I yummy looking?"

Both girls rolled their eyes and ignored his question as they launched into a conversation about what they should get Ken. Once they got to the mall they went to so many stores, Mamoru wondered why Lita even wanted to bring him along. At the moment, both girls were studying a plain gray button up tee. "Well, this shirt would go great with his gray eyes."

"Yeah, wowing everyone with how plain it is." Mamoru said, spinning a few shopping bags in his hands.

Usagi reached out and grabbed his hands. "Stop that, you're going to dump everything out."

He moved his hands a little so she would still feel the need to hang on to them. "No they won't, gravity will keep them in place. Haven't you ever spun buckets of water over your head when you were a kid and were amazed you didn't get wet? Same thing."

She rolled her eyes and let go to turn back to the shirt Lita was holding up. "So what's wrong with it?"

With a sigh, he started spinning the bags again. "Ken may be physiatrist, but he doesn't want to blend in with the white walls surrounding him, you know."

Lita glared at him. "That's a psychiatrist, moron. Ken works with rehabilitation – of the physical kind. He goes no where near padded walls."

Shrugging, Mamoru moved the bags higher when Usagi tried to snatch at them. "Same thing goes. Get him something with more pizzazz."

Usagi stopped trying to get the bags and joined in with Lita at staring at him. "Pizzazz? Is that what you think when you shop for yourself?"

He put the bags down and frowned at both of them. "So what if I do? I dress better than both of you put together. Maybe you should shop with _pizzazz_."

Usagi laughed and leaned up against the glass display next to him. "Maybe we should. So why don't you help us besides just standing around being useless. Shop around as if you were shopping for yourself."

They browsed the store a few times before Mamoru found something he thought girls would think was sexy and stylish. Ken didn't have the same body type as him since he was much lankier and Mamoru tended to bulk, so he wasn't sure if it'd look good. But it'd be better than what Lita would have gotten him. "You should get him to pierce his ear. Every girl I've been with found it sexy."

"Yeah well, I think it looks gay. The only girl that should think he's sexy is me, damnit." Lita grumbled, looking back as she handed over her credit card. She looked over her shoulder and seemed surprised when Mamoru was no longer there. "Where'd he go?"

Usagi shrugged. "You hurt his feelings when you said his earring was gay. I went with him when he got it done and I'll have you know _I_ think it's sexy."

Raising her brow, Lita crossed her arms. "Then why don't you give in and just go out with him? That man is totally in love with you." Lita signed the receipt and grabbed the bags – including the ones Mamoru left behind, and together they left the store.

"Lita… I don't know if I can. He and Rei…" She trailed off, but she knew Lita would piece it together.

Lita stopped, nearly dropping all of her purchases. "You're joking, right?"

She shook her head. "It was a couple of years ago when I first told you all about my feelings for him. Not even a day later I walked into her apartment and it was full of alcohol and they were very intimate together in her bed."

"Yeah, she _would_ have to get him drunk to even go near her." Lita muttered. She turned to face Usagi head on and grabbed hold of her shoulders. "I wouldn't put it past her to have slipped him the date rape drug. Usagi, Rei had been after Mamoru since high school. You knew that. And Mamoru never wanted to sleep with her. After you graduated high school, Mamoru completely changed. He was committed to _you_, Usagi. He started changing, trying to make himself better because he knew that you would want him to be better. Rei saw that, and I'm almost positive she slipped him something. It's not as if it's hard to get."

Usagi looked away and worried her bottom lip indecisively. "It's been years since then, Lita. Why hasn't he said anything to anyone?"

Again, that annoying brow rose on Lita's face. "What guy would ever want to admit they were raped by a woman? It's embarrassing to them. Especially one as beautiful as Rei. Besides, you know Mamoru and know how he is."

Then she straightened, grabbing her bags again. "Now let's go find him. He's probably off sulking in the food court." She paused for a moment, looking at Usagi's face for a moment before starting off again. "At least think about what I said, okay? Even you're smart enough to know how great a catch Mamo-kun is."

She did. With a sigh, Usagi grabbed one of the bags. "Yeah, I know. Let's go find him before he thinks we don't love him anymore."

Indeed, they found him sitting at a booth with a chocolate sundae for Usagi and an ice cream cone for himself. Lita looked offended that there wasn't anything there for her. Mamoru glared at her and pointedly looked away. "Usagi doesn't think my earring's gay."

Usagi smiled and set down her bag. "He has a point."

"Are you serious?" Lita demanded. "You are such a child!"

"Besides," he continued on with another lick of his ice cream. "This was yours, but you guys took so long gossiping that I ate it instead so it wouldn't go to waste."

Lita didn't stop glaring at him even until she sat down and Usagi sat next to him to dig into her sundae, making exaggerated noises of appreciation. "You're just trying to suck up to Usagi."

He only grinned. "So?"

With a smile and sigh, she leaned back and crossed her arms and watched with indulgence as the two sitting across from her shared smiles, their eyes tender with love neither of them could see. Seriously, Usagi needed a wake up call. Did she really not know how much her love shown through her eyes? Did she even realize that whenever the group hung out together, the two of them just _happened_ to be sitting next to each other every time?

But she was glad, and she'd never tell Usagi how much her eyes expressed, since Mamoru probably saw it too and it was most likely the main reason he still had hope that one day she'd realize for herself that she loved him, that maybe she would allow herself to love him.

Mamoru happened to look at Lita for a moment, and she wanted to cry at the warm look in his eyes. Rarely did he look so happy and content, and it was usually in moments like this when Usagi let down her guard and let him in enough to see how much she really loved him.

It was true that growing up Mamoru was not the happiest of people. He was closed off and moody, being especially mean to Usagi since she affected him so much with her smiles and her childlike happiness, while he had been alone ever since he was five year old with an amnesia he'd never recover from.

Maybe he had hated her for a while, but Usagi never left him alone long enough for him to give it much thought. And after a while, he started smiling, even laughing. Then he started hanging out with the whole gang; Ami and Greg, Rei, Mina, Chad, Andrew, and Reika. He had friends – the good kind – and eventually found another family inside their little circle.

But then Usagi started to change. She grew up, and in time became a real woman, not just a little girl Mamoru used to tease. And now here they were, five years after high school and everyone either in school or graduated with jobs and careers of their own. Ami is still in college to become a doctor and married her high school beau Greg, who became a scientist, Mina became the model she always wanted to be, Chad failed as a rock star and settled to be a music teacher at a local high school instead, and Andrew and Reika married just a few months before and co-own the Crown Arcade. And now Lita, herself, was marrying her high school sweet heart. She was struggling to open her own restaurant while Ken worked as a psychiatrist down town.

All that was left was Usagi and Mamoru, and it was obvious where those two were heading.

A jazzy song broke through their bickering, and Mamoru looked surprised when he read the caller ID. "Hello?" He got a pained look on his face and quickly wrapped an arm around Usagi's shoulder and hugged her close. "Tomorrow night, get together? I don't know about that, I'd have to ask my girl real quick."

He squeezed Usagi until she squeaked, and she hurriedly whispered near the receiver, "Mamo-chan, who is that? Let's get back to our… dessert."

Lita snorted on a laugh and watched them. Mamoru grinned down at her, his face real close and watched her closely as he spoke into his cell phone. "What's that, Himeko? You just checked your schedule and something came up? That's too bad! Yeah, sure. See ya!"

He snapped his phone shut and rubbed her arm apologetically as they laughed. "Sorry, Usa, she'd think I was lying if I said I was busy."

"That's okay." She smiled up at him, and seemed about to say something else when Rei suddenly appeared at their table, her gaze glacial as she watched them.

Usagi tried to slide away, but again Mamoru's arm tightened around her to the point of pain, so she used that as an excuse to rest against his chest again. He rubbed her arm once more apologetically, but this time it seemed more like a caress than a friendly rub.

She looked up at him, and maybe for the first time she noticed how his eyes darkened behind the friendly veneer he put up when Rei was around. She was glad she told Lita earlier, otherwise she never would have looked deeper than what he showed everyone else. Even his smile seemed cool when he sent one Rei's way.

"What are you doing here, Rei? I thought you had a meeting to go to." He rubbed her arm again, and with a sigh Usagi dropped her head against his neck once she got tired of the strain of keeping herself away from him.

Rei crossed her arms. "We were supposed to get together for lunch, remember? The Oasis?" she started tapping her foot impatiently as she eyed the hand absently rubbing Usagi's arm and shoulder. "I called Mina and she said all of you were shopping today."

"In all fairness, Rei, you didn't really give us a chance to tell you differently." Mamoru said calmly. Usagi didn't trust herself to speak, so she left it up to Mamoru. It wasn't hard to snuggle in to him. He seemed to be the perfect shape for snuggling. And he smelled really good too… She smiled when she felt him go still underneath her when she took a little sniff from his neck and her nose brushed up against the underside of his jaw.

Rei, unfortunately, watched and curled her lip into a sneer before she brought her eyes back to Mamoru. "So what happened to the floozy you had the other day, Mamoru? Did you get tired of her already?"

Mamoru's hand tightened on Usagi's arm, and only she could hear the slight growl in his throat before he spoke. "Rachel is a _married_ intern at my work, Rei, as you well know. You shouldn't jump to conclusions the minute you see me talking to a different girl."

Usagi felt a jolt of guilt, since she had jumped to the same conclusion herself. "Rei, would you care to join us? There's no reason to try and yell our heads off all day. We're here helping Lita, and we _were_ having a good time."

"I have things to do." She snapped, before she turned on her heels and stomped away.

Usagi knew that she should have moved away from Mamoru, but he really was comfortable. Only when her own cell phone started ringing did she move away from him, and she felt his reluctance. She rolled her eyes at Lita and rested her elbows against the table. "Hey Mina. Yeah, Rei just popped up suddenly and started yelling at me and Mamoru. Don't worry about it, that's just how she is. What? Oh yeah, Lita's here. Hold on."

She passed the phone to Lita and sat back again, her skin prickling when she felt the heat of Mamoru's eyes on her. When she turned to face him though, she closed her eyes for she suddenly was faced with the pressure of his lips on hers.

And for the life of her she just couldn't find it in herself pull away.


	3. Chapter 3

Standard disclaimer applies.

**Warning:** This chapter mentions rape.

DARK LADY

Three

By: Luna

...

_Serenity fanned herself idly while keeping a bored eye on her guests, wondering why she even bothered entertaining people anymore. What was the point, anyways? Her mother was here; Serenity herself had no need to be in attendance. Sighing, she moved out towards the balcony, following the steps down until she stopped at the last step and slipped off her shoes, letting her toes wiggle in the damp grass._

_She picked up her skirts a little before running towards the weeping wisteria trees, twirling girlishly underneath their blossoms and watching as her dress flared out like an upside down flower, almost high enough to show her under things. A long, long time ago when she was still a little child she had loved to twirl in her dresses, feeling so beautiful whenever the dress flared around her cherubic legs, thinking she was a real lady._

_Now she was over a millennia old and the simple act still managed to bring her joy. She gently cradled a wisteria bow and brought it to her cheek so the blossoms could caress her cheeks, smiling when the plants spirit wrapped around her in happiness. "I can always be happy under your bows, can't I?"_

"_You're missing the party, princess." A deep and husky voice murmured, and the wind brought to her an unfamiliar yet sweet floral scent._

_Serenity turned and watched a masked man step out from the shadows with an odd bloom in his hand, the deep, dark color of blood. And yet it was so beautiful and fragile; she had never before seen such a perfect blossom. Nothing like that grew on the moon, so she knew he was most likely from earth, for none of the other planets grew plants like that either. She smiled and raised a pretty brow. "That's goddess to you, earthling."_

_He laughed low and rich, and reached up to remove his domino mask. Serenity's eyes widened in appreciated at the beauty of this mortal man, but her eyes were invariably drawn to the blossom. His smile widened and he held out the flower to her. "It's called a rose. It's yours, if you're willing to exchange for it."_

"_Exchange?" Though common sense told her to ignore this foolishness, her greedy heart wanted the flower. "What do you want in exchange for it?"_

"_A kiss."_

_Serenity gasped in outrage and stood straight, making a beautiful and ethereal sight with her silver hair flowing loose and long underneath the weeping bows of the wisteria, her pearly dress shimmering in the fake light the moon gave off. She truly was a goddess in every sense of the word. Endymion appreciated her beauty in every sense of the word and he felt a desire that went deeper than mere lust. His heart actually… hurt when he looked at her, and yet it felt warm just the same._

_He didn't understand what it meant right then, but he knew that he wanted her. Wanted to do more than kiss and appreciate beauty. Maybe even more than just a mere kiss and maybe beyond making love – but her wouldn't go there. Because for now – he'd settle for a kiss._

"_Just a kiss, Goddess. One kiss for one rose. Doesn't that sound fair?" he murmured in a coaxing tone of voice, and watched as she gave him a dry look before sighing._

"_I'm too old for you to try flirting with me. But all right…" Her eyes rose to gaze wistfully at the earth that hung like a sapphire amongst a blanket full of glittering diamonds. Then she turned back to him and smiled softly, her whole face warming as she took a step forward. "But I suppose I'll give you a kiss. But just one, mind you."_

"_Ah, just one, my love, will put me in a world of paradise…" He drew her flush against him and traced his lips across her forehead and over her closed eyes._

"_I thought you said a kiss." Her eyes were still closed but she was relaxing against him._

"_I'm giving you a kiss." Endymion murmured softly, his lips tracing the shell of her ear and down the curve of her cheek. "Perhaps, goddess, you just never received a proper one before."_

_Gently, softly, he brushed his lips once against the corner of hers, his voice still crooning. "A woman like you needs to be romanced into a kiss. You need to be relaxed into it; boneless, tranquil, completely relaxed against me." He brushed her lips again and lingered this time before pulling away. "You need to want it, to need it, and to want and need the man giving it to you."_

_Her sigh was like a caress and he felt his skin prickle deliciously in pleasure, and that pang in his heart grew into something he recognized at tenderness, and he gently brushed her silver bangs away from her face so his lips could trace the crescent mark that glowed in the light of the moon. He hesitated above her mouth for just a moment before he kissed her once more for the last and final time, deepening it with every second that passed._

_He traced her lips with his tongue and nipped at her bottom lip. She gasped, and he took the opportunity to plunge his tongue deep into her mouth, caressing her deeply with his tongue and lapping up her mewls of pleasure and sounds of arousal. He resisted the urge to touch her, not wanting to insult such a divine and celestial creature. She was everything that was pure. She was everything that was lovely. She was everything that was perfect._

_He would preserve her purity only if or when she asked him for more._

_Because, Endymion realized with a sudden blossoming of egotistical fear. He loved her. He goddamned loved her, and at first sight at that. Was he really that foolish?_

_With renewed passion he poured every thing he had of himself into the kiss, and only when he had her melting in his arms did he slowly start to withdraw, until his lips were merely resting against hers. He wanted to stay and cherish her, to worship her body with an offering of his, but he wouldn't dare. He would respect her._

"_That, goddess, was a kiss." Endymion believed that he would never see her again, especially since earth was so full of unrest at the moment, so he pulled her close and pressed her head to his heart so she'd be able to hear how affected he was, and he closed his eyes and stroked her hair to embed this moment memory into his very soul to carry with him forever._

_The jerked away from her and disappeared into the shadows, leaving only the rose and white domino mask lying on the dewy grass where he had once stood to even show he had been there in the first place. That, and the full red lips of a goddess who had just been thoroughly and wonderfully kissed._

_Those bruised lips curled into a full, beautiful smile that shortly developed into a full laugh, and she picked up the rose in one hand and the domino mask in the other and once again twirled underneath the beautiful wisteria, laughter echoing out into the peaceful night._

"_Don't think you can escape me, earth king!" Serenity called out into the sky. "Don't you remember what I said? I'm a goddess! I can follow you to the __**ends**__ of the earth if I wanted to!"_

_Will you? A small voice whispered through her mind. Serenity laughed again and opened her arms up to the sky._

"_Yes!"_

* * *

It was everything she had ever dreamed of and more. He tasted as she always imaged, dark musk and strong male with traces of chocolate swirled into the mix. They were in public, in the middle of a busy food court where everyone else could see, and yet Usagi just sunk even deeper into the kiss, deeper, deeper…

Usagi gasped and jerked away, staring into Mamoru's eyes darkened by passion, her eyes dark with horror. What had she been thinking? She stood up abruptly, and her chair scraped a little as she stumbled away. "E-excuse me!" she cried and took the cowards way out and ran.

"Usagi!" Mamoru called and moved to go after her, but a vice like grip on his wrist held him back, and he turned to glare at Lita. "Let go of me! I have to go after her!"

Sighing, Lita's stern gaze softened, a little sad. "I'm sorry, Mamo-kun. But believe me when I say that it's best if you let her go. She's confused right now and going after her isn't going to change that."

When Mamoru's shoulders drooped in defeat, Lita loosened her fingers a little and tugged on his wrist so he'd sit down again. "But how can I just let her walk away? She means everything to me. Why can't she see that?"

Lita took care flatten down a wrinkled napkin to the table before slowly meeting his eyes. She debated whether or not to tell him about what Usagi had just told her, but she held back. It wasn't for her to reveal. "Maybe you need to prove it to her."

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair and glared half heartedly at her, but Lita knew that he didn't really mean it; he just needed someone to vent on. "Prove it? How? Why should I need to prove it?"

"Why do you need her to love you back? You _do_ want to be with her, don't you?" Lita countered as she raised a cool brow. That was a typical male response; he just assumed that the minute he came to his feelings Usagi would simply come into hers. But it didn't work that way, especially with a woman like Usagi who always put others before herself.

Lita knew that the only obstacle they needed to overcome was Rei. Rei had always been Usagi's friend – she had always been everyone's friend. And yet… when Rei's grandfather died something died in Rei too, and it only became worse when she went to live with her father. No one knew how to reach her, how to console her, or even how to get past the front gates of her fathers mansion.

She had become cold and hostile towards all her friends, saying biting remarks and insulting everyone's happiness. After all, how could everyone be happy when Rei was so miserable? And it only got worse when Usagi revealed her secret love for Mamoru, a time when everyone else already knew that he was in love with Usagi too – had been the minute she threw a shoe at his head. Rei had used to have a crush on Mamoru, but everyone thought that she had given up on that once they hit high school. But at the thought of Usagi, everyone's sweetheart being happy, Rei grew even crueler.

But was she cruel enough to rape someone?

But Mamoru was speaking, so Lita played close attention. "What do you think I should do?"

"Honestly? Exactly what I said: prove it to her. She thinks you're a player, so swear off girls. Well, except _us_, of course." Meaning Ami, Lita, Reika, and Mina. But Mamoru knew what she meant. "She thinks you can't commit? Commit to her. Be serious in your courtship. Bring her flowers, bug the crap out of her, and _love_ her Mamoru. Just really, really love her."

Mamoru was silent, staring down at Lita's flattened napkin. Gently, she touched his hand to bring his eyes back up. "It won't be easy. But love shouldn't be easy, and it will be worth it in the end. She already loves you, Mamo-kun. You know that, or else you'd have given up already. And though she trusts you with her life, she has to learn how to trust you with her heart."

They left the mall then, Lita taking the packages Usagi left behind and made inane chatter throughout the drive back to their apartment complex. Mamoru brooded as he walked Lita to her room, remembering how light hearted he had been that morning as he sang loudly in the shower since he knew that she could hear since she was in the apartment directly above him, and now look at him.

He surprised her when he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. Despite Lita's height (one of the reasons she earned her nickname of 'Amazon') her forehead still could barely even reach his chin.

Her gaze softened and she hugged him back, rubbing his shoulders in soothing motions as a mother would a child. Mamoru was a huge part of their entire "family" – had, in fact, been the first male accepted into the it (meaning Usagi, Rei, Ami, Mina, and Lita) and they grew into the people they were today because they looked after each other, Mamoru of course being babied by all the women and looked after. So it was natural for him to reach out to them for comfort, Lita in particular since they lived so close and had been more like brother and sister than anyone else.

This was probably why Ken didn't freak out when he walked off the elevator and saw his fiancé embracing another man. He knew it was Mamoru, and knew that something bad had to have happened today to have him needing comfort so much. He leaned up against the wall next to the elevator and waited until Mamoru pulled away and gave Lita a lopsided smile before reaching up and purposefully ruffling her hair so he could mess up her ponytail, and started walking down the hall way as if he hadn't been there the entire time.

"Hey, man." Ken said with a smile, laughing at Lita's squawk as she reached up to fix her hair.

Mamoru turned with a smile and reached out without looking to mess Lita's hair up again the minute she fixed it. "Hey. Treat your lady for me, will ya? She's a genius."

Rolling his eyes in amusement, he kissed Lita's temple as he passed and fitted the key in their door and taking a step inside. "You kidding me? I spoil her almost once a week. Twice a week and she'll start _expecting_ it."

Laughing, Mamoru waved. "Heaven forbid. I'll see you guys later."

The smile faded the minute he reached his room, and he studied his apartment with blank eyes. He walked along the wall, studying his family photos and reliving every one of the memories frozen in each frame. He smiled over the one with all five girls dressed in poofy prom dresses with him standing right the middle, a cocky smile on his face since he would be the only guy at the dance with five beautiful girls as his dates.

There were a few with just the guys; quiet, studious Greg, laughing Andrew, serious Ken, and a cocky Mamoru. Chad hadn't entered the scene until some years later, and as Mamoru studied more of his photos, you could see Chad starting to appear more and more, with his shaggy brown hair, tan skin, sloppy smile and scruffy face. They all complimented each other so well, and Mamoru was so proud that he had the privilege of being friends with such outstanding individuals. He wouldn't be who he was today without them, and he would be forever grateful.

Finally, he stopped at the piano he had recently purchased, its back being graced with two simple items; a vase of red roses and a silver frame with himself and Usagi leaning up against each other with such ease and comfort. They didn't always act so stressed together like they had today, and they were usually really close – almost close enough to treat her as he did Lita. But since he was in love with her and his body would invariably… _react_ when she was close or if he'd wrap his arms around her, half the time he'd either get aroused or simply get stressed out for trying so damn hard _not_ to get aroused. Damn woman.

He stepped back and looked at all the photos again, looking at them with warmth inside him that reflected in his eyes, and he ignored the fact that all his pictures missed a certain person, except for the ones that couldn't help but have her in it.

His chest tightened painfully and he stepped back, dark memories breaking through his shield and reminding him of something he had always wanted to forget. Forget since a part of him still couldn't accept it, couldn't believe that rape could actually happen to someone as strong as him.

They had been drinking, Mamoru driving out to the bar to spend some time with her since she had sounded as if she was crying, and he had been hoping a breakthrough had finally happened to Rei so that everyone could start taking care of her once she let them in again and they could start to heal all of the hurts that must have happened to her after her father took her away. He went to heal, and he had been violated.

Mamoru couldn't remember all the details – he _still_ couldn't remember all the details – he just remembered waking up on the floor tangled in sheets and smelling of sex, a head ache and a bad aftertaste in his mouth. And Rei. Rei, sitting on the other side of the room dressed in a champagne colored silk robe and staring at him with smug eyes through a haze of cigarette smoke. He didn't even know how long he laid there and simply stared at her before nausea rolled through him hard and fast and he was racing for the bathroom, emptying everything in his stomach until he was dry heaving and he was glad that he started sweating so bad, because then maybe it would help hide his tears.

_Oh my God. _This couldn't be happening to him. Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God…

"What's wrong, Mamoru?" she said in a silken voice. He knew she was standing in the doorway and his shoulders automatically tensed in a defensive gesture. "You seemed to enjoy yourself last night."

Standing slowly, uncaring of his nudity, he turned and looked at her. Something in his face must have frightened her, for she faltered and took a step back, her cigarette falling to the floor. He stalked her until she was pressed tightly against the wall, and here he slammed his fist against the wall so close to her face she flinched and looked up at him fearfully.

"Don't," He said hoarsly, his voice filled with dark violence. "don't you ever come near me again. If you even touch me the wrong way, I will make your life a living hell."

Rei's lip suddenly curled into a snarl and she jerked her chin up defiantly. "So? I'll tell them you raped me." At his shocked look, smugness reasserted itself in her eyes and on her face and she laughed with cruelty. "You'll never be with Usagi now."

Mamoru paled and took a step back. "I'll tell them the truth. Usagi will believe me."

"So?" Rei challenged right back. "She'll always doubt, and that'll eat you alive, won't it?"

Mamoru had left and hadn't spoken a word to anyone, but Rei had already accomplished her goal. A word hadn't been spoken, but inside he was torn up so bad he might as well have been broken. And contrary to popular belief, he hadn't had sex with a woman since, so at least the first part of Lita's advice was accomplished. Because, to be honest, the only people he could now stand to touch him was his little circle of the friends he considered family.

He just had to gain enough inner strength to tell Usagi about his most inner demons.


	4. Chapter 4

Standard disclaimer applies.

DARK LADY

Four

By: Luna

...

_The fire temple was made of pure white marble, glistening red with the holy fires that never died. The priestess of the temple stood in the center of the courtyard, her white robes and red hakama looking as out of place in the center of such whiteness almost as much as her long black hair, which she left loose to sway down her back. Her violet eyes were smug and knowing even before he walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders._

_He did not love her. She knew that. But then, she didn't love him so it didn't matter that he only came to her when his own crippling ego made him flee the bed of his queen. Oh, how powerful it felt to have won something over a goddess. Oh, she knew very well who her king's queen was, despite how very hard he sought to fool his kingdom. Did he really think that he could share her bed and her not look into the holy fires? The fires told her everything; from the future (a limited view, anyway), and even the past._

_Just as it told her that the only reason the king sought her bed – not out of affection – but out of his humanly fear of being controlled by powers greater than himself. What a fool, and so predictably human._

_He __**was**__ a fool. He feared the power his goddess held over him; feared that she would one day use it against him. But she knew the truth. She knew the goddess loved him with all the purity that the Goddess of Sancticity held in her perfect soul, and the king was an idiot to think that she would ever want to use her love as a weapon. For a woman who had waited thousands of years to finally give her body away – and to a human, no less, would never want that kind of trust betrayed._

_Where it obviously _had been_ betrayed. But she supposed it was Serenity's own fault for trusting a human; they were too weak and fickle, after all._

_And so, so stupid for thinking that he could rule the earth without help from the Gods – especially without help from Serenity, the most powerful god of all and keeper the Silver Millennium Crystal. Serenity gave him a promise of peace, and Endymion would soon find out just how harsh life really was when Gods didn't watch over you._

_He didn't like the fact that just one look from her pretty blue eyes and he'd stop his entire army from going into battle. He didn't like the fact that at night when he held her in his arms, he never wanted to let go. He knew it was love that he was feeling, and like the foolish creature he was he resented her for it._

_But that couldn't matter now, because he was cupping __**her**__ breasts and kissing __**her**__ neck and doing to __**her**__ all the things he had been denying his wife. With one pull, her hakama fell to the floor in a pool of useless material, and all it took were his fingers sliding up her chest to nudge the haori over her shoulders so it could join the rest of uselessness on the floor. The iciness of his armor as if pressed against her back made her shiver, but he didn't care for her comfort any more than she cared for his, so he made no move to remove it until he wanted to remove it._

_They didn't make love. They just pleased and had sex with each other in the middle of the courtyard, uncaring that the holy fires could see such an irreverent act. They made disgusting sounds and hurt each other, but in the end curled into each other and slept. When she woke up, he was already adjusting his belt across his hip and slinging his long bow and arrows over his shoulders, and his back was to her. When he finally turned back to her, his eyes an empty shade of blue, her own eyes widened before she threw her head back and laughed._

"_She found out, did she? I'm not surprised. The only thing I'm shocked about is how she pushed her powers down for so long. She must have really cared." He didn't respond except to continue to stare at her, so she continued with a smirk. "What, do you really think she **wanted** to see us? Believe me, that little peak she had was nothing compared to what might have happened had she not been repressing her powers."_

"_How did you know?" His voice was empty, devoid, but she didn't care because he brought it upon himself. She didn't ask him to start this – he forced it, and he would have to pay the price for his infidelity._

"_You see these fires?" She stood up to him in all her naked glory and the holy fires made her eyes look cruel. "They tell me everything. Even what you __**think**__ you did to Serenity."_

"_What do you mean, what I think I did to Serenity? And if your fires are so all-knowing, what do they tell you about the future?" His voice was still low and husky, but instead of warmth of life it was as cold and lifeless as the expression on his face._

"_About the future in general? Or about yours?" she asked with a raised brow. She would suffer no consequences for telling him. The future she had seen will come one way or another and he will be unable to change it, for his fate had been set in stone the minute he betrayed someone who had the power to change it. But he did nothing but stare at her with those empty eyes, so she gave in a little and gifted him a smile that told him how much she pitied him. "Your kingdom will crumble and your people will fall, and you will be cursed until the day you earn forgiveness for your erroneous acts, and there is nothing you will be able to do about it. You should have never thought that the world can be ruled without the Gods, and this is a simple lesson that you will have to learn. You made her very angry for thinking so."_

_He didn't smile, he didn't flinch, and those dead eyes of his didn't even flicker. "And yours?" he asked dully. "What will your future be?"_

"_I have no need to see what Fate holds in store for me." Here, her ruby lips twisted into an ironic smile. "I hold no desire to see my own future. Vicarious living is better than living with fear and trepidation of what will happen because you __**know**__ what will happen. I will live one moment at a time and love every minute I have that gives me peace. I care about what happens to me, of course, but there is no point in seeing the future and making myself believe that I can change it. That's not only stupid but it's pointless. Everything is ruled by Fate and Destiny."_

_She cocked her head to the side and studied him with an amused look. "But you don't care what will happen to you, do you?" She shook her head in mild exasperation. "You humans are so predictable. You break vows, and then curse the heavens for frowning down upon you because of it, even when your downfall is one of your own making. Although I will say, Serenity __**was**__ a bit too harsh on you. But I guess a woman scorned is a woman scorned, no?"_

_Again, his stony face didn't answer._

_Walking up to him, she placed a gentle hand on his cheek and gave him hope, for she truly pitied him. Serenity was a good woman, but even good women make mistakes when they get angry. "I will tell you something, and this is something that you must never forget."_

"_Why are you helping me? You are no god." He cut in, but didn't pull away. Again predictable. He thought she was giving him a way out, but in a way she supposed she was. Humans were so easy to read and sometimes too easy to fool. They could survive in the harshest of conditions as long as they held hope in their hearts, and kings were no exception._

_She smiled and leaned up to give him a mild kiss. "I am the daughter of Aries, the God of War, so shut up when I'm trying to help you."_

"_Alright," He murmured. "Then help me."_

_His hands were on her breasts again, but she shook her head and stepped out of his reach. "No. Listen, for after today you __**will not**__ be seeing me." She waited until she had his full attention before continuing. "There is a reason why she chose you, Endymion. There is a reason why she gave you her heart. It's selfish, greedy, demanding, and fulfilling. It defies reason, defies Fate, and defies even the Gods. And it's something very, very simple. Serenity has it, and so do you. When you find out what it is, she will forgive you."_

"_Forgiveness…" He murmured to himself as he stared off into space, his face finally softening in indecision. "Is it really something I deserve?" __A sad, haunting smile ghosted over his features and his eyes glazed over, and she knew that he was seeing his past mistakes in that moment. "I killed her, you know. I loved her, and I killed her. She was right. I let an evil woman wrap a spell around me that cast doubt in my heart, and I killed her because I thought what I was doing was right. You say my kingdom will crumble, but it already has. And it's because of me."_

_She rolled her eyes and bent to shrug on her robes. "Don't go over board with self-loathing, Endymion. For one, a mere mortal can**not **kill a God, and you'll have eternity to get reincarnated over and over, so I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to change your mind."_

"_Can't she prevent me from being reincarnated? I would think she, of all people, wouldn't want to give me a second chance."_

_Again she sighed over his stupidity. "Dear King, who do you think is having you reincarnated in the first place?" At his blank look, she flipped a long lock of black hair over her shoulder and pushed back her irritation. "Has it ever even crossed your mind that she __**wants**__ to forgive you? She loves you, but now that she has already set things into motion she cannot lose face and turn everything back. She has already disgraced herself enough by coming down to earth in the first place to live with a silly mortal, and she can't risk losing more than she already has. She really __**does**__ love you, you know."_

"_So what should I do?" His face was so earnest that she felt her eyes soften once again and she smiled at him and tied her hakama._

"_Love her back, I suppose."_

* * *

She was empty inside.

No, empty couldn't even put a face or name to what she was, for blackness really couldn't be defined, could it? There was this yawning, aching hole that only grew larger in the absence of light, and she hated what she was. When did she start to change? When did she start to hate others more than she hated herself? She could have anything she wanted; _anything_ she desired. She was beautiful and sexy and rich and had a father who could move an entire mountain if he wanted to. Yet she self destructed. She drank too much, started smoking, dabbled with drugs, and indiscriminate sex that sometimes wasn't very safe. She acted cruel to her friends, to her family, and to the little people that worked under her.

And committed the most unforgivable act.

_Mamoru._

She curled into a ball on her king sized bed that was covered in white satin sheets and fluffy blankets and pillows, trying to make her so small against all that whiteness so that she could pretend she was whiteness too, because she was so dark inside that sometimes it took to being white on the outside to fool the inside in believing your something that you're not. Because she wasn't white. She was black. She was empty. She was nothing. She hurt her friends and broke Mamoru. And for what? She wasn't even sure.

Someone came into her room, but she didn't pay attention until warm, strong arms came around her and held her so close. She clutched at them because they were so warm and she felt so cold inside, and she cried some more for the acts that she just couldn't help but commit. She didn't start out as a bad person. She knew she didn't, otherwise Usagi wouldn't have been friends with her. So where did she go wrong? She didn't even deserve the warm arms that held her close and made her feel safe, and gave up her half hearted attempts to leave them because, truly, she didn't want to.

"Rei…" The gruffness of an unshaven face rasped gently against the curve of her neck and warm breath brushed over her cheek, and she only cried harder at the caring she heard in his voice. "Come on, Rei. Come away with me. We'll go somewhere you can get help."

Help. She needed it, but how she resented that word! She ripped herself out of that warm haven and stood glaring down at Chad who dared utter such a vile word, tears still streaming down her face. "_Help!_ You think I need help! I have everything! I have beauty, money, and an entire empire that's going to be _mine_ someday! What makes you think I need help from a poorteacher like _you_?"

Chad, with his gruffy face and gentle eyes, sat so patiently at the end of the bed and watched her, waiting until the storm died down so he could go to her and comfort her. Rei's chest heaved with all the emotions that were filling her, filling her, overflowing her, overpowering her, and she just screamed because she couldn't handle it. She was so alone, so lonely, and all her friends abandoned her because she was such a bad person, and she screamed because really, she _wanted_ help.

And Chad was there to give it to her.

He stood immediately and came to her, holding her in his arms as she screamed and cried and beat her fists against his chest. He stroked her hair and kissed her closed eyes, murmured gentle words that she didn't hear but felt, and waited until she was just a sobbing mass of woman that collapsed boneless into his chest. She had needed that. She was making herself crazy and hurting herself and others by keeping so many things deep inside her, so many dark secrets and fears that no one else knew about but him.

"I need to say sorry," she started, her voice breaking on the last word.

"Not yet." Chad corrected gently. "Not until you've forgiven yourself. Come away with me, Rei." He whispered. "Come away with me and get help. I wont leave you. I haven't yet. I never will."

Closing her eyes, Rei rested her head against his chest and wept some more.


	5. AUTHORS NOTE

Sorry Everyone! I've been really busy during my move from Washington, D.C to Florida, and my school is over 10 hours. But this weekend I'll try and post! The chapters are written, I just need to grab my thumb drive and post! Look for new chapters this weekend!

Luna 


	6. Chapter 6

Standard disclaimer applies.

DARK LADY

Five

By: Luna

...

_It was over._

_Endymion stared down at his fallen army with defeated eyes. He was on his knees and at near a cliff that once overlooked his beautiful earth and now only death lay before him. Beryl's army was getting bigger and bigger, a dark shadow growing larger with every minute that passed. He had failed them._

_He was the last; the final enemy Beryl needed to kill for world domination, and he was already mortally wounded. He failed himself, but most of all he failed his people. He prayed he would be the kind of king people would forget, for he surely didn't want to be remembered as a failure, as the man that turned away a goddess and doomed his people to hell._

"_Serenity…"_

_He couldn't get enough strength to stand on his feet, so he used all his remaining strength to pull out his thick broad sword from its scabbard and pierce the ground before him, holding the hilt with both hands and leaning up against it like a soldier would when being knighted. He wanted to weep but did not deserve that right, so he could only close his eyes and pray that Beryl at least would let him die with dignity. He had been stabbed mortally in his chest near his heart, and he knew he would not last for very long._

_He felt a cool touch on his brow and slowly looked up, tears falling unbidden when he met his love's sad blue eyes. "Serenity." Her name was wrenched from the depths of his soul. "I didn't kill you? Or maybe I'm already dead…"_

_She touched his lips to shush him, and then kneeled before him in her pristine white gown, her entire body and skin and silver hair glowing with a pure white light that glowed from the inside out. She smiled at him slowly, sadly, and leaned in past his sword to kiss him. "Rest now, my king. I'm here now, and I won't leave you. Everything will be alright, I promise. Trust me, my love, everything will be all right."_

"_Serenity…" He couldn't seem to say anything else but her name, and he closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her the minute her own arms wrapped around his head to press him into her bosom. She sat back and rested against his sword so that he would lie down and rest against her, and she took her time in brushing his hair away from his sweaty face._

"_You are going to die, Endymion." She started softly, and smoothed away his frown with her gentle fingertips. "Don't worry. I won't hand over the earth to _that woman_. Rest now. I won't leave you. Sleep now, my Endymion. Please sleep." She couldn't bear to see him in pain any longer._

"_I want to see you again…"_

"_You will, I promise. Sleep now, Endymion, and dream of me." She whispered, and smiled sadly when he closed his eyes for the last time in this era. She wouldn't cry. They _would_ see each other again. No, she wouldn't cry… damn._

_She stood slowly, her tears falling and soaking in his dark hair, but it took only a moment to dry them. She had plenty of time to grieve, but that time was over for now. Beryl had to be stopped before she truly thought herself immortal, and it would only take a minute. Beryl stood before her after only a few seconds, her fiery red hair and narrowed eyes stretched into a maniac grin. "Serenity, Serenity." She cooed like a mother scolding her child. "I'm going to do what Endymion failed to."_

_Serenity raised a cool brow and cupped her hands in front of her, and a moment later a silver crystal glowed brilliantly between her hands. "I will not allow you to defile this earth. You will die now."_

_The light of the crystal started to glow brighter, and Beryl screeched and covered her eyes. "I'll kill you!"_

_A slow smile spread across Serenity's face, and there was a dark gleam to it. "You fool. Nobody can kill _me_." She took another step forward and laughed with satisfaction as the evil woman's skin began to peel back in a nasty burn. "Let me tell you something, you stupid bitch. Next time you think you can take on a god, do your research."_

_She stepped closer again and dimmed her power slightly so she could lean forward and bring herself nose to nose with Beryl. "If you want to kill a god…" She whispered softly, almost seductively. "You must become one first."_

"_Burn in hell, Beryl, and regret your three mistakes. First, you should have never approached Endymion to get to me. Second, you should have never attempted to take over this beautiful planet. And third… well, you should have never tried to take on me." With that, Serenity unleashed the full power of the crystal._

_She closed her eyes and engulfed the entire earth with its purity and eradicated any evil that Beryl tainted, and only when she was satisfied did she let the light fade and left earth to its own devices once again. She turned towards Endymion and once again knelt at his side to stroke his hair._

_She touched his brow and watched an earth sunset for the last time, and started speaking to him even though he couldn't listen anymore. "I've always loved you, Endymion. From the minute I watched you sleeping underneath that cottonwood tree and mistook you for a shepherd, I fell in love. I loved to watch you sleep since all your years of hard life seemed to fade away from your face, leaving you looking young and innocent looking again, even if only for a couple of hours."_

_The mark on her forehead started to glow, but the man resting in her laugh would never notice. "You swept me off my feet the moment you opened your eyes, however, and they were the color of your earths beautiful ocean, and just as deep. You've always been afraid, you told me, of being alone. But even more afraid of being hurt if you actually let yourself love someone. But you said you fell in love with me the minute you opened your eyes and saw me watching you. And I think I fell in love with you even more."_

_She looked down at his sleeping face and smiled a little while she traced a fingertip down his aristocratic nose. The sun had set and the stars were just now starting to show, and she smiled up at her beloved moon and knew that she wouldn't be able to see it for a very, very long time. "I never gave up on you. I knew in the end you'd see reason, even if it was this kind of ending. We'll meet again, my love. After all this pain, I think we deserve a little happiness."_

_She leaned down and placed a lingering kiss on his forehead. "When you wake up, dearest, I will be the first person you see. I promise." The light on her forehead glowed brighter, and slowly, slowly, she allowed both of them to fade away, not to appear for a long, long time._

_It was time to have that second chance._

* * *

Usagi wondered what she should do. She kissed Mamoru. Worst of all, she _enjoyed_ it, but now she was more confused than ever.

After years of denying both Mamoru and what they might be together, that kiss left her shaken. Shaken and… scared. What should she do? Would Mamoru even want her now that she ran away? If a guy ran away from her after giving her a kiss that knocked her socks off, she'd probably be scarred for life. Or at least until she found a better kisser.

Usagi sighed. Like that would happen after Mamoru.

After she ran home from the mall, Mamoru hadn't spoken or tried to contact her at all. Granted, it's only been two days since that happened, but she usually bumped into Mamoru at the arcade everyday unless something big came up. And Mamoru would always find an excuse to walk her home…

In fact, now that she thought about it, Mamoru did a lot of things for her that she didn't do for any of their other friends. Things that she never noticed until he didn't do them anymore. Things like ordering her bi weekly double chocolate milkshake to be ready for her before she even made it into the arcade. She only allowed herself a shake every two weeks since she grew out of the super fast metabolism that supported her all the way through middle school, and she had to watch what she ate nowadays. Maybe it was something little like that, but it still mattered.

Or like he'd always have her call or text him whenever they or the group hung out together to make sure she made it home safely. Or always knowing when she was feeling sad or lonely and somehow knowing exactly how to cheer her up. Usually that meant showing up at her doorstep with two pints of ice cream and chocolate whip cream.

Usagi smiled dreamily at that memory and fiddled with her gold necklace. She had been yelled at by a rude, demeaning professor who had made her feel stupid and insignificant, and she had left the college in tears, and Mamoru had been the first one she called when she got home. She had barely even finished changing when a knock sounded on the door, and there stood Mamoru wearing ratty sweats and a lopsided smile.

When had she stopped being surprised at those little acts of love and started taking them for granted? Why hadn't she realized what Lita and obviously everybody else knew?

That Mamoru really, really loved her.

A giddy feeling bubbled in her stomach and Usagi had to press a hand against it as if that was supposed to help keep the feeling at bay. She smoothed her hands down the front of her yellow sunflower dress and jiggled her wrist so that her golden bracelets jingled, then wiggled her toes in her strappy sandals before she stood.

She dressed up just for him in her favorite dress because she knew he always came into the arcade around this time. But when more than a few minutes passed, Usagi walked to the counter and glared at the back of Andrew's head until he came over.

"Hey Usagi…" He said warily as he stopped in front of her. "What's up?"

"Andrew." She said in a clipped voice, and then she leaned forward to stare him down better since he still stood a good four inches taller than her. "Where's Mamoru?" She hated sounding jealous, but all well, better go all out. "He always comes to the arcade at this time! Where is he? I've been waiting here forever!"

"Oh, is that it?" Andrew laughed and shook his head. "I thought _I_ did something for a minute there! What do you need Mamoru for?"

"Doesn't matter." She said quickly. "I thought he liked hanging out here, that's all."

"Yeah, well, that's really only because this is where you usually hang out here." Andrew stopped suddenly and looked as if he were biting his tongue.

"…What?" Usagi asked, staring blankly up at her friend.

Andrew looked really uncomfortable and started to shift in nervousness. "Well, you have to admit an arcade isn't really where a man of his means likes to spend his days, even if his best friend owns it. I thought you knew."

Clearing her throat, Usagi looked briefly away, not able to admit that the only reason she still came by the arcade was because she thought Mamoru liked to come here. Seeing Andrew and occasionally Reika when she wasn't off on her humanitarian missions was a plus, but it was Mamoru she always came to see. How stupid could she get? "So… where does he like to hang out around this time?"

"There's this café down the street from his apartment building called The Tea Room." He said.

Usagi had to laugh. "The Tea Room? Mamoru?"

Andrew laughed with her and placed a coke in front of her. "Yeah, I know. But apparently it's all organic and earth friendly."

She had no idea Mamoru was in to things like that. She just assumed he liked to hang out at the arcade because of Andrew and it was their childhood haunt. Of course he'd outgrow video games and chocolate milkshakes with three or five cherries and extra whip cream. Usagi just felt a little put out because she had always assumed she knew everything there was to know about him.

She stayed long enough to finish her soda and chat up Andrew before she left to check out that café. Once she got there, however, her mood immediately darkened and she started to get more than a little ticked off at Mamoru. That stupid… _man_! There was nothing but beautiful women working here! Tall, short, medium; blonde, brunette, black, and even the red head hanging in the back by the coffee machine were some of the most beautiful women Usagi had ever seen.

A perky waitress with bright green eyes and black hair pulled back into a high ponytail stopped in front of her with a beautiful white smile. Her black shirt had the words Go Green stretched across her full bosom. "Hi there! What can I do for you?"

Usagi tugged on a curl thrown over her shoulder and smiled fleetingly. "Well, I'm actually looking for a friend of mine. Chiba—"

"Mamoru!" The woman exclaimed loudly, making a few heads turn towards them.

"Yes…" Usagi said slowly, her eyes narrowing just slightly in wariness.

A few girls with matching brown bobs and hazel eyes – obviously twins – stepped forward with concerned eyes. "You're here for Mamoru-kun?"

At a loss, Usagi stared back and forth between them and answered warily. "Yes."

"Thank goodness! Poor Mamoru-kun had been so unhappy lately!" The twin on the right said.

The waitress and Twin Left nodded, Twin Left saying, "I know. I think he finally made a move on this girl he's been mooning over for, like, forever. I don't think it went over so well."

Usagi stopped playing with her hair and brought her eyes from the exit back to the twin. "What do you mean?"

"Well, he's usually telling us how great this girl is and that he had to take his time, and he's taken such time to get to know her and he's totally in love with her." The twin said, her sister and the waitress nodding along with her airy speech. "And two days ago he finally made a move, and he's been down in the dumps ever since."

The perky waitress nodded. "I think that's it too. Poor Mamoru-kun, he's so in love with her." Why do they keep saying that? Usagi wondered, but was unable to stop listening to them. "He comes in here now and then for advice since we're all women and totally ready to help him with anything," Usagi narrowed her eyes at this. "And things seemed to be going so well! But I guess something happened to screw up his game."

Usagi debated whether or not to give into her curiosity, but as always curiosity won. "What kind of advice?"

"Oh, you know." The waitress said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "How to deal with her when she's having girl problems and stuff like that. Or to just cheer him up when he gets so depressed and things he'll never hook up with her."

Usagi absently nodded and looked away thoughtfully, missing the looked shared between the three women. Twin Right stepped forward and flashed a sunny smile. "Hey, I hear he's helping out a friend today at his apartment. You might be able to find him there."

"Thanks," Usagi said absently. "I'll try that. Thanks for all your help!"

All three girls watched her leave with smug smiles. The minute the door closed behind her they squealed and clapped their hands together. "Way to go, Mamoru! It's about time he made a move, if you ask me."

"You know, she's a lot hotter in person than she is in that photo he showed us." Twin Right, whose name was Himeko, said with a conspirators wink.

The girls shared one last smile and wink before separating. "Let's just hope he doesn't screw it up."

Usagi stared up at the apartment building, contemplating what to say to him if he was even home. That she's been trying to track him down all over Tokyo? That she's totally in love with him and she's sorry for making him wait for so long?

"Usagi!"

Turning, Usagi smiled confusingly as Mina ran recklessly across traffic until she stopped in front of her, the models million dollar breasts heaving from her mad dash. "What are you doing here?"

"I should ask you that same question! I've been looking all over for you and figured I'd check out Mamoru's place as a last resort." Mina beamed. "It's Ken's birthday today, dummy! Did you forget? You told Lita you'd help her set up decorations at the restaurant for his party."

Usagi hit her forehead with the palm of her hand. "I totally forgot! Did you bring your car?"

"I brought my car, of course." Mina said as she grasped Usagi's hand. "Do you really think my agent would let me take public transportation? He's so afraid I'd get kidnapped or something else that's equally silly. But let's go! It starts at three and it's already one! We need to go right now. By the way, what are you doing here? Even if you forgot the party, Mamoru's usually at his office building and Lita's usually at the restaurant."

"Um, it's nothing." Usagi said quickly, tightening her hand around Mina's and dragging her back across traffic. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Mina was looking like a million dollars, as usual, with her platinum blonde hair gleaming in the afternoon sun. She wore a skin tight hot pink dress that hugged her prize winning curves like skin, and her three inch heels easily eating up ground as her long legs ran to avoid getting hit by a car. They passed a lingerie shop and even there her smoky blue eyes stared back at them from a billboard promising sex and more as the rest of her wore a black corset and skimpy panties. She was everywhere, and Usagi was starting to get a little uncomfortable with all the stares they were getting.

Mina didn't look concerned at all. Usagi sighed. "Mina, the point of having a car is actually driving it. I thought you said you drove here?"

"I did!" Mina said with an airy laugh and waved her hand in a vague motion behind them. "But I had a beer before I came here – and you know how much calories they have – so I figured we'd walk back. It's only just a few blocks away."

A few meaning seven? Usagi had to laugh. "And your agent?"

Mina gave an unconcerned shrug. "I'll just say it's… free publicity or something."

Since Usagi didn't know what Mina was selling, she stayed quiet and didn't bother telling her that her agent probably wouldn't buy that. Impulsively, Usagi hugged Mina's arm and confessed, "I kissed Mamoru."

Mina stopped and studied Usagi with serious blue eyes, a frown tugging at her lips. Then she smiled. "Was it good?"

She laughed as they started walking again. "Yeah," Usagi said shyly. "Really, really good. But… I don't… I mean me… Mina, I don't know how to act around him anymore! And I've been looking for him all day and can't find him."

"Chill out, girl!" Mina said with a wink. "And treat him as you always would treat him. Let him make the first move."

They let themselves into the closed restaurant and looked around. So far it looked as if everything was already set up, with drinks piled on the gleaming bar along with snack food and brightly wrapped presents. "Wow," Usagi said. "You need my help?"

"Believe it or not," Mina started ominously. "But Lita wants us all to cook something. To make it more 'homey'"

"Ri-ight." Usagi drawled out. "Let's hope we don't poison anyone this time."

"Hey! Andrew was on a diet anyways – and he already said he hadn't been feeling well that week." Mina's smile was innocent, but her eyes danced with mirth and made Usagi laugh.

"Hey you two! You're supposed to be in the kitchen!" Lita called out as she walked towards them, her arms filled with groceries. She looked up after setting the bags down at the table and met the dry, blank looks of her two best friends. She froze and laughed nervously after a moment. "Or… maybe you need chaperones." When they still only stared at her, Lita laughed again and shook her head. "Or maybe… you can stick with the punch?"

"I can do punch. Right Mina?"

"Sure! No cooking and basically no handling! Just some juice and a little spike here and there, and we're all set! How hard can it be?"

Lita leaned up against a table and crossed her arms. "That's what you said when you two tried to make meatloaf for Andrew's birthday. He couldn't eat anything solid for a week! And we still can't figure out what the hell you guys put in it in the first place."

"Well, I'll be!" Mina started with a huff. "It helped him lose those last eight pounds, didn't it?"

"Andrew was very happy with those eight pounds, thank you very much." The said man stated as he walked up behind Lita and bushed her forehead before walking over and slinging his arms around both blondes. "So what kind of trouble are my two blonde babes cooking up this time?"

"We're not cooking anything this time, Andy, so don't worry." Usagi said reassuringly, laughing when he visibly relaxed.

"Hey guys, when are we going to start cooking?"

Usagi's skin prickled and flushed, and she couldn't help the shy smile from spreading across her face. She ducked her head and met Mamoru's eyes the minute he appeared. Mamoru froze for just a moment before brightening with a big smile spreading across his face.

He walked towards her with purpose and drew her away from Andrew without hesitation and pulled her under his own arm. Then he winked into Lita's surprised eyes. "You're plan worked; the things I've got Ken doing will keep him busy at least until three."

"Well, good." She said, obviously at a loss at her friends' new development. "Yes, good. Let's get cooking!"

Mamoru tugged her closer the minute their friends turned their backs on them. When the crown of her head was safely tucked against his shoulder, he bent his head down and buried his nose in her hair to breath in the scent of vanilla that she sprayed on. "We need to talk later."

Usagi nodded, barely able to breathe with him so close. Then, sucking in a deep breath rose on her tip toes and pressed a quick kiss on his lips before hurrying inside the kitchen, leaving Mamoru standing behind with a silly grin on his face.

The party was a success, despite the fact that Rei and Chad had seemingly disappeared and no one knew where they went, and Ami and Greg were an hour late since their class had rescheduled at the last minute and Reika was still in Africa doing some kind of HA (humanitarian aid).

They laughed and joked and made merry well into the night before Lita dragged Ken away to give him a more personal present, and their friends slowly started to leave until it was just Mamoru and Usagi standing alone by the bar.

"Usagi…" he murmured and grasped her shoulders to draw her back flush with his chest.

She turned, and he couldn't stop his gut from knotting up in fear that she would be leaving him. He relaxed the minute she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest. They stood holding each other for a while before Usagi broke the silence.

"I'm sorry."

"What?" Mamoru asked and pulled slightly away to frown down at her. "Sorry for what?"

"For running away. For not listening to you. For not noticing everything you do for me and taking it for granted." When her voice started to get shaky and her eyes filled up with tears, Mamoru smiled and tugged her closer again.

"Hey, you don't need to apologize. You've been under the impression that I'm just some playboy, right?" When she didn't say anything, his brows pulled together and he started to get uncertain. "Usagi?"

She shook her head against his chest but didn't look at him. "I've always known how great you are. I just didn't want to _see_ how great. Because… because…"

"Because why, Usagi?" Mamoru asked gently, running a hand down her silky hair.

"Because I've always been afraid." Usagi admitted. "Of getting hurt. You're such a great catch, you know, and there are so many better girls out there than me."

Mamoru finally pulled away and forced her to look at him. Her eyes were so blue and scared that he couldn't help his own from softening. "There's no one better out there for me than you. There never has been, and there never will be. You're it, Usa. And it's either you or no one."

When she moved to speak he bent down quickly and kissed her before smiling down at her again. "And I'm sorry for that thing with Rei. It was a mistake, and it never should have happened."

Usagi shook her head. "Don't apologize for that. I know what Rei did, or at least _now_ I know, and I don't ever want you to apologize for something you weren't able to control. I'm just sorry I used it as an excuse to keep us apart."

"Well," Mamoru started with his voice convincingly light. When she looked up at him, he was still smiling. "Then I'd say we both need a second chance, don't you think? We've waited long enough. I love you, Usagi. I always have, I always will, and I promise that no one will ever come between us again."

Usagi smiled tremulously and wrapped her arms around his neck so she could tip toe up and nuzzle the underside of his jaw. "What do you know," she said lovingly as she placed a kiss on his jaw. "That seems to be just what I've been waiting to hear…"


	7. AUTHORS NOTE TWO

Hello everyone! I know this is long in coming and you guys are probably thinking "What the &%$!" But I just wanted to inform you guys that the long awaited sequel is on its way. There will be two, summaries as follows:

WHITE KNIGHT: Sequel to DARK LADY. Usagi and Mamoru are finally together, yet it seems that Fate still wants them apart! With jobs and school, they always seem busy. And with disturbing images of the past clouding their dreams and changing their perceptions on reality, it seems this couple will never get a break…

Rating: T for possible language. I don't think there'll be any lemons in this one. At least not ones that are so graphic as to warrant an M, but who knows.

Genre: Romance

RED ROSE: Rei/Chad. Finale to the DARK LADY trilogy. Rei had gone away to find herself, yet it seems she found more than she bargained for when Chad insists on finding her too…

Rating: M for mature. Yes folks, I might just put a lemon or two in here, so don't read if you aren't of age or too squeamish. Don't worry too much - I try and make all of my lemons as mild as possible. There's no need to get raunchy on FFnet.

Genre: Romance

Stay tuned, I'll try to get WHITE KNIGHT posted in the next month or so, and only when it's finished will I be posting RED ROSE. I promised you guys a sequel, and a sequel you will get. Just be patient with me, and I will try not to disappoint! Tell me all of your thoughts, ideas, complaints, and what you'd like to see that I didn't put in DARK LADY, and I'll try and incorporate that some way in the story so all your questions are answered and none of you are disappointed.

Now, these stories will either be short (consisting of around four chapters total) or a long one-shot. Tell me what you think, and hopefully your response will give me inspiration!

Until next time…

Luna


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